


Light Through The Shadows

by arwens_light



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-12
Updated: 2015-08-12
Packaged: 2018-04-14 06:36:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4554459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arwens_light/pseuds/arwens_light
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Clearly, I don't own anything. All this genius belongs to the wonderful J.R.R. Tolkien. </p><p>The Title is also inspired from two Tolkien quotes:<br/>"You can only come to the morning through the shadows" & No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly"</p><p>I've been talking with a couple of you about writing a Modern AU for Fili/Sigrid... and this is what I came up with. I truly hope that you enjoy.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Light Through The Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> Clearly, I don't own anything. All this genius belongs to the wonderful J.R.R. Tolkien. 
> 
> The Title is also inspired from two Tolkien quotes:  
> "You can only come to the morning through the shadows" & No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly"
> 
> I've been talking with a couple of you about writing a Modern AU for Fili/Sigrid... and this is what I came up with. I truly hope that you enjoy.

"No, no, no..."

 

She couldn't believe her luck.

 

Her 1997 Chevy Malibu had stuttered and then died at an intersection. When she tried to reengage the engine, it refused to turn over.

 

She was coming off a late shift at the hospital and her phone read just after 3 a.m. She was beyond tired. All she wanted was to get home and fall into her incredibly warm, soft bed.

 

At the moment, she was standing in the snow covered street, staring desperately at her useless car.

 

She hugged herself against the cold, her mint green scrubs and worn jacket not doing much to ward off the fierce winter weather that had descended onto their small town. Freezing winds whipped across the lake which the town sat nestled against, opposite of which loomed a large, singular mountain peak.

 

She glanced at her phone again. The illuminated screen showed a battery life of 12%. She bit her lip and contemplated the situation. Her father had taken a double shift at the wharf and wasn't likely to answer his phone. Her younger brother, Bain, was only 14 and didn't have a driver's license or a car to come pick her up. He and her kid sister were probably dead asleep to the world anyway. Most city buses didn't operate at this time of night, especially with the weather making roads even more hazardous to drive on at night.

 

Her toes were going numb inside of her sneakers. It was 15 miles back to her house from here. In a car, 15 miles was nothing, but on foot, in the middle of the night during winter? 15 miles seemed like it was a world away.

 

She glanced at her phone again - 11%. How is it that she had no one else she could call? She sighed before pulling her bag from the car and slinging it over her shoulder. She slammed the door shut and locked her car. She stared at it for a moment, heart sinking. Finally, she pulled a woolen cap over her hair and began to trudge through the snow.

 

She shoved her hands deep into her coat pockets and tried not to think about how cold she was. The streets were quiet at this time of night. The snow muffled everything.

 

She had walked about four blocks when she noticed a soft yellow light spilling out onto the snow from a building window. She stopped in front of the large metal building. It was hard to tell what kind of business operated out of it since snow and ice covered most of the exterior surfaces, but it looked like it might be some kind of auto body shop. Tentatively, she approached the window. Even through the light layer of frost on the glass pane, she would tell someone was inside, and more importantly, awake. A radio was on and it looked like someone was leaning over a car, working on the engine.

 

She hesitated for a moment (how wise is it to knock on a completely stranger's door at 3 o'clock in the morning?) before she knocked on the blue metal door.  She listened for a moment as nothing happened. A few seconds later, she heard footsteps and the lock turning. The door groaned in protest as it was shoved open before she came face-to-face with the someone from inside the building.

 

It was a young man, covered in grease, who stood not much taller than herself. The top of his mechanic's coveralls were pull down with the arms tied around his waist. His white t-shirt was equally dirty and she could see a tattoo disappearing up his left arm under the sleeve. His blonde hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail and it looked like he hadn't shaved in several days.

 

He stared at her for a long moment before she remembered herself.

 

"Hi, I am so sorry to bother you this late at night, but my car broke down a few blocks away and I saw the light on here and thought... that... well..."

 

He continued to stare at her, an eyebrow slightly raised.

 

She swallowed thickly, feeling how chapped her lips were as they pursed together. She sighed, feeling embarrassed. "You see, my phone is practically dead and I need to call a tow-truck, at the very least."

 

His silence was beginning to make her angry.

 

She frowned at him. "Look, do you mind if I step inside and use your phone to call for a tow?"

 

He shrugged and stepped aside in what seemed to be an invitation to enter.

 

She could feel her cold fingers curl into her fist. "Thanks," she muttered through gritted teeth as she stepped through the doorway.

 

The warmth of the shop was a blessing straight from heaven. She pulled off her cap and shook off the snow, looking around. She had been right - it was an auto body shop. Several cars were sitting in various stations down the length of the building, waiting to be worked on. Straight ahead of her appeared to be where the shop office was located. She started to walk toward the room when she felt a hand grip her forearm.

 

She stared at the hand on her arm for a brief moment before she felt anger heat her face. She turned to snap at him to let her go, but he spoke first.

 

"What's in the bag?"

 

She stopped mid-turn and blinked at him, confused. "Wh-what?"

 

"What is in the bag?" he asked again, nodding to the messenger bag slung over her shoulder.

 

She stared at him, the power of speech having left her. In her bag? Why did that matter?

 

His free hand reached up and gently tugged the canvas bag off her shoulder. He knelt down and rummaged through its contents for a moment. She watched him in silence, dumbfounded.

 

Giving a satisfied nod, the man rose to his feet and shoved the bag back at her. She gripped the bag to her chest, finally feeling her brain start to work again.

 

"What the hell?" she snapped.

 

The man rubbed a dirty hand over his forehead, leaving behind a streak of grease. "Sorry, can never be too careful." She felt confused again, but was surprised when the man extended his hand toward her. "I'm Fíli. My uncle owns this place."

 

She slowly extended her hand to meet his. His hands were rough and dirty, but warm. She shook his hand once and then dropped it just as quickly.

 

"Sigrid," she replied. She paused before venturing to ask the question that popped into her head. "What are you doing here so late?"

 

He chuckled, his face breaking into a smile. She was taken aback at how much the smile softened his features. He almost seemed younger... "Are you sure you want to know?" he asked, grinning at her, his eyes sparkling.

 

She shrugged, gazing curiously at him.

 

"I live with my brother in the apartments behind the shop. Small apartment. Very thin walls and well, he has a new girlfriend."

 

Sigrid blushed as the information clicked in her head. "Oh. I - well, I guess I understand why you would want to step out..." She titled her head to the side, her bag still clutched to her chest. "Why did you search my bag?"

 

She almost regretted making his smile disappear as his expression turned more serious. "There are some individuals around here that don't like my uncle very much. You can never be too careful."

 

Sigrid looked at him in disbelief. "So you opened your door to a stranger in the middle of the night?"

 

He snorted. "I can take care of myself."

 

She decided that she didn't want to know and let it go. She rubbed her hands together as the warmth made pins dance across her skin. "Do you mind if I make that phone call?" she asked.

 

He shook his head. "You don't have to - my uncle's cousin has a tow-truck out back. Just let me get the keys and I can tow you wherever you need to go."

 

"Oh... ok." She followed him as he grabbed a pair of keys from the wall and walked toward a back exit. He grabbed a heavy, weathered jacket from a workbench and pulled it on as he shoved the door open and lead her into a fenced-in yard. Several cars sat covered in snow. Boxes and tires were stacked against the wall. Fíli opened the driver side door to a large truck and motioned to Sigrid.

 

"Get in and start the truck. I gotta open the gate," he explained, handing her the keys.

 

She nodded and climbed into the truck's cabin and shut the door against the cold. She turned the key in the ignition and quickly turned on the heater, pressing her frozen fingers against the grate. She sighed as warmth began to wash over her.

 

She jumped slightly when Fíli knocked on the window. "Pull it forward and I'll lock the gate behind you," she heard his muffled voice say.

 

She gave him a thumbs up and she watched as he jogged back to the gate. She engaged the clutch and was able to successfully bring the truck into first as she eased down on the accelerator. The tow truck rolled through the gate, snow crunching under its large tires. Once it was through, Fíli pulled the gate shut and locked it with a heavy chain and padlock. He jogged over to the truck and pulled the driver's side door open. He bumped Sigrid with his hip and she slid over to the passenger's seat. He quickly shut the door behind him and shook the snow from his hair.

 

He grinned at her as he pulled onto the dark street. "Nicely done - not many people know how to drive a stick anymore."

 

Sigrid couldn't stop the laughter that escaped her lips. "I really don't though - I mean, my dad tried to teach me, but I was absolutely horrible at it. I'm just glad it didn't stall. That would have been embarrassing."

 

He chuckled as he shifted gears. "How far down?"

 

"About three blocks from here."

 

Once they arrived at her car, Fíli expertly navigated the tow truck into position in front of her car. Sigrid watched from the back window as he attached the chains and pulled her vehicle into position on the back of the truck.

 

After everything was settled, Fíli jumped back into the cab, taking a minute to warm his hands. "Jesus, it's freezing," he muttered, holding his fingers to the air vent. He glanced at Sigrid. "Where to now?"

 

She paused, considering. She could have him tow her car all the way to her house, but then she would still need it towed to a garage... "Can we just take it back to your uncle's shop for now?" she asked tentatively. "I can call a cab from there and come back tomorrow after I get a couple hours of sleep."

 

He nodded. "Sure, no problem. But forget about the cab; I'll just drive you home."

 

She chewed on her lip for a moment. She knew that she should be more cautious, Fíli being a stranger and all, but... as rough as he had been when he first opened the door, there was something deep inside of her that felt oddly comfortable with him… "Alright," she replied softly.

 

He glanced at Sigrid as he carefully maneuvered through the snow. "Or I could call you a cab -"

 

"No, no, really it's fine," she said quickly, touching his wrist for a moment before pulling her hand back and dropping it into her lap.

 

He looked worried for a second before nodding. "Okay."

 

By the time Fíli had pushed her car into place in the back lot of his uncle's shop, the clock on the dashboard of the truck glowed just before 4:30 a.m.

 

"Are you sure you're okay with driving me?" she asked as he climbed back into the cab. "It'll take you at least an hour to drive there and back in this weather..."

 

He waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry about it - I'd like to think that someone would do the same for me if I was ever in the same situation."

 

Sigrid had to laugh. "This would never happen to you!"

 

"Why's that?"

 

"Because you work on cars... and you could probably just fix whatever broke."

 

He laughed at that, a smile lighting up his face. He ran a hand over the stubble on his chin. "I'd like to think that, but you never know. So straight down Celduin for a while?"

 

She nodded. "Then take 37 until you get to Forodwaith and take that exit."

 

They sat in comfortable silence for several minutes before he nudged her with his elbow. "So, Sigrid... what do you do? I'm guessing that you work at the hospital?"

 

She nodded. "I'm a nurse practitioner at County."

 

"Do you normally work the night shift?"

 

"We have a rotating schedule. It's nice to work the late shift sometimes though... tends to be a little slower and the quiet can be nice."

 

Fíli hummed in agreement. "I can relate to that - I have a very big family and most of them work in or close to the shop. It can get pretty hectic sometimes. That's another nice thing about working in the middle of the night. No crazy family around to drive you insane."

 

Sigrid smiled at that. "My kid sister can drive me crazy sometimes. She wants to go with me everywhere and do everything that I do. My younger brother, not so much - he doesn't really want anything to do with us. Teenager and all that."

 

"So you live at home with your family?"

 

"It's just my dad and us kids."

 

Fíli nodded thoughtfully. He started to speak again, perhaps to ask about her mother, but seemed change his mind at the last second. "Wh - uh, so, your car. I can take a look at it in the morning and figure out what happened. It might just be a dead battery, which would be an easy fix - otherwise, I can give you a call and let you know what the damage is."

 

"Okay," Sigrid said.

 

Fíli dug his phone out of his jeans pocket and handed it to her. "Just enter your number in here and I'll give you a call tomorrow."

 

Sigrid laughed, earning her a strange look from Fíli. She took his phone and started to tap in her number. "Wow, what a great pick-up line," she muttered.

 

Fíli frowned at her. "You think I'm using this situation as a pick-up?"

 

Sigrid shrugged and handed the phone back to him. "I don't know you from Adam - who's to say you don't do this with all your female customers."

 

He actually looked hurt at the comment and she immediately felt bad for saying it. He was silent for a while. She bit her lip, an ugly feeling settling in the pit of her stomach.

 

"Look, I'm sorry - I didn't mean it… I mean, I know that you're going through a lot of trouble to help me out and I really do appreciate it - truly, I do. I just... thought..."

 

"Don't worry about it," Fíli said gruffly, staring start ahead. He pulled the truck off at the Forodwaith exit. "Where to?"

 

"Uh -"

 

"Look, Sigrid, I'm not sure what other guys you've had to deal with, but I'm not trying to take advantage of you or this situation. So if you'd prefer for me to drop you off at a public place, or a few blocks away from your house, that's fine. I won't offended."

 

Sigrid stared at Fíli for a long minute, weighing her options. "1011 Esgaroth. It's in the Lake Town subdivision."

 

She thought she saw him smile before the serious expression returned. He nodded and soon they were pulling onto her street.

 

Sigrid pulled her house keys from her bag and turned to Fíli. "Thank you, really, for everything that you did tonight... or this morning, or whatever. I really do appreciate it."

 

Fíli offered her a small smile. "Don't mention it, kid. Durin Auto Repair, always at your service."

 

Sigrid pushed the passenger door open and hopped down onto the snowy sidewalk. "Drive safe," she called, before shutting the door.

 

Fíli gave a wave and then pulled a three point turn before exiting back toward the highway.

 

Sigrid carefully maneuvered her way to the front door through the snow drifts that had started to build against the side of their small house. Once inside, she hung up her coat and kicked off her wet tennis shoes before trudging back to the bedroom she shared with her younger sister, Tilda. The clock on the bedside table flashed 5:00 a.m. as she fell into bed beside Tilda's sleeping form. She quickly got under the covers and snuggled against her.

 

"Your feet are cold," Tilda murmured sleepily.

 

Sigrid sighed and rolled out of bed, striping off her work clothes and changing into a pair of old sweatpants, a long sleeved t-shirt and woolen socks. She pulled her thick hair out of its bun and quickly got back under the covers; within minutes was asleep.

 

+++++

 

She was rudely awoken just three hours later by her father, who had just gotten home from his shift at the wharf.

 

"Sig, where is your car?" he asked, his brow furrowed in worry.

 

"Fíli has it," she muttered, brushing him away and rolling over to hide her face from the light.

 

"Fí - who the hell is Fíli and where is your car?"

 

"It's at the shop, Dad - it died on my way home last night and I left it at an auto repair place," she grumbled into her pillow.

 

She felt the bed shift as her father sat down next to her. Trying to clear the sleep from her head, she sat up and squinted at him. He looked even more tired that she felt. She frowned as he drew a hand to his temple.

 

"Da, what's wrong?" she asked.

 

"Nothing, sweet pea," Bard said, offering his eldest daughter a soft smile. "I'm just tired, is all."

 

She scooted closer to him and rested her chin on his shoulder. "Me too, Da - me too." She kissed his cheek and climbed out of bed. "Want me to make you some coffee?"

 

He shook his head. "No, I'm going to try to catch a few hours of sleep before I have to be back at the wharf. Percy thinks he can find me some extra work on one of the rigs."

 

Sigrid frowned as she pulled her messy hair into a bun. "Dad, you can't stretch yourself too thin. I can pick up an extra shift or two at the hospital - or maybe I could get a couple hours at Dr. Radagast's clinic..."

 

Bard snorted and shook his head. "I don't want you working for that quack -"

 

She tsked at him disapprovingly. "He's not a quack, Dad, he just practices herbal medicine. Dr. Brown refers all his patients to him for pain management."

 

"I'm sure he does," Bard muttered.

 

Sigrid threw her father another disapproving glance before heading down the hall to the kitchen. Bard followed her slowly, rubbing his neck tenderly.

 

She smirked at him as she pulled the coffee pot out of the cabinet and filled it with water. "Dr. Radagast could give you something for your neck..."

 

"Oh shut it," Bard said, laughing. "I'm just getting old, is all."

 

Sigrid shrugged and flipped the switch to brew the coffee. She leaned against the counter, yawning.

 

"So your car broke down, huh?" her father asked, settling onto a stool.

 

She nodded. "An auto body shop was still open and I was able to get my car towed there," she explained.

 

"Which one?"

 

She had to think for a moment. "Durin's Auto Shop, or something like that."

 

Her father looked puzzled for a moment, "Durin?" he muttered to himself. After a moment, he shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "I gotta get some sleep, Sig," he said, standing slowly. "Wake me in a couple hours? I have to be back at the docks by noon."

 

Sigrid nodded. "Sure thing, Da."

 

As her father settled onto couch, Sigrid grabbed her dirty scrubs from the previous night and threw them into the wash with a load of her sibling’s school clothes. She cleaned the kitchen and the bathroom before remembering that her phone had been dying the night before. It was completely dead by the time she checked it and set it on the charger. After straightening the room she shared with Tilda a little, she finally set the alarm clock for 10:45 and laid down for a quick nap.

 

The alarm sounded much sooner than she thought it should have, but she felt much more rested than she had earlier. She shook her dad awake and make him take a quick shower. She changed into jeans and a warm sweater while he was getting ready. She threw up her hair into a bun, making sure to pin all the loose pieces down. Her father appeared, freshly showered and dressed in thick, warm clothes. They pulled on winter boots and Sigrid grabbed her coat from the peg by the front door.

 

Bard's old Ford Ranger stuttered, but finally came to life after a little encouragement. She gave him directions until he finally pulled to a stop across the street from the large auto body shop. Bard gazed out the window, examining the building. "This is where you broke down last night?" he asked. He glanced at Sigird. "Sig, this is a rough part of town."

 

Sigrid pressed at quick kiss against Bard's cheek. "I made it home in one piece, Da," she said quickly, gathering her bag. "I'll see you at home later."

 

Sigrid waved as her father pulled away and turned his truck back toward the wharf. She waited for traffic to break before crossing the street. She could already hear the commotion from inside the shop from the street - sounds of drills and tools clanking together and the chatter of men. She approached the same blue door she had knocked on the night before and pulled it open.

 

As soon as she stepped inside, several heads turned toward her. Most just gave her a quick glance and returned to their work. Several openly stared. She felt her mouth go dry. Perhaps she had been a little over confident...

 

At that moment, a brunette jogged over to her, his eyes sparkling with life. His hair was pulled back with a rubber band, very similar to how Fíli has worn his hair.

 

"Hey, how you doin’?" he asked, wiping his hands on a rag.

 

"Fine," Sigrid replied, suddenly feeling nervous. "I uh... well, you see, my car broke down last night -"

 

The young man's eyes lit up in recognition. "Ah! So you're the Malibu!"

 

"Um, yes?"

 

His smile was absolutely dazzling. "Very nice to meet you, Malibu. My name is Kíli. I believe my brother assisted you last night."

 

"You're his... brother... OH." Sigrid felt herself blushing. "Fíli, he ... ah... yeah, he mentioned having a brother..."

 

Kíli chuckled. "I'm sure he did," he said, smiling. "So, I've actually checking out your car a bit this morning - I must say, it's a wonder that it was even running at all..."

 

He led her over to her vehicle. The battery had been removed and several parts that she was pretty sure had been under her hood where now laying on the floor. "See this liquid here? Your intake manifold gasket is leaking and needs to be fixed."

 

She frowned. "How much will that cost?" she asked quietly.

 

Kíli grinned at her. "See, that's the great part - my brother said he'd do the labor on your car for free, so all you have to do is pay for the parts."

 

Sigrid stared at him for a moment in disbelief. "What?"

 

Kíli's smile grew wider. "He told me that a nurse's car had broken down last night and she seemed like a really good person, just some bad luck with her car... never told me how cute that nurse was... it's all starting to make sense now," he chuckled, winking at her.

 

Sigrid felt her cheeks flame again. "No, I really can't let him do that... he already went out to of his way to help me out last night..."

 

He waved a dismissive hand, so similar to his brother's gesture that Sigrid nearly laughed.

 

Sigrid fidgeted. "So, what do I owe you for the parts?"

 

"Follow me and we'll see what we can do," he said, motioning for her to follow him. They made their way to the office and Kíli ushered her inside. The room was small with florescent lights hanging naked from the ceiling. Two plastic chairs were shoved against a wall opposite a desk. The surrounding available area was covered in boxes of parts. As soon as they entered the room, a white-haired man tipped his head to observe them over his glasses.

 

"Kíli," he greeted. "What can I do for you?"

 

Kíli smiled brightly at the older man. "This is Fíli's customer - the Malibu."

 

"Sigrid," she corrected, not wanting that nickname to stick, and extending her hand. "Nice to meet you."

 

"Ah, Sigird, pleasure to meet you," the white-haired man said, gripping her hand in a friendly shake. "My name is Balin, and as we say here at the shop, we're at your service. Now, what can we do for you, Sigrid, seeing as you are Fíli's special customer?"

 

Sigrid bit her lip, feeling her cheeks heat up again. "I believe my car needs a new battery and a new intake ..."

 

"Manifold gasket," Kíli finished for her, winking.

 

Balin nodded and turned to evaluate the mess of boxes around him. "Yes, yes," he muttered to himself, "The battery I know we have, but the intake manifold gasket for a 1997 Chevy... I might have to make a few calls for that." He turned and smiled kindly at Sigrid. "I'm sure I can get the part in a few hours and we can get you out of here by the end of the day."

 

Sigrid nodded. "That would be great," she said, as her stomach rumbled.

 

Kíli grinned at her and Sigrid wished that she could disappear into the floor. Balin didn't seem to notice. "The battery will run about $100 and I think I can get the intake manifold for about $50. I'll ring you up for wholesale once I get the part," he said, pulling a box from a shelf and handing it to Kíli.

 

"Thank you," Sigrid said, as Kíli opened the door, the box cradled in his arm.

 

Balin smiled and nodded, waving as they left.

 

Kíli dropped the battery box off next to her car and stood, smiling at her. "Well, I'm starving - want to grab a bite?"

 

"Oh, well..."

 

"Come on," Kíli said good-naturedly. "I know a great spot a block away."

 

She _was_ hungry. Nodding, she followed him outside. In the daylight, the neighborhood looked completely different. The world was bright as the snow reflected the sun off every surface. Cars carefully drove down the icy streets as pedestrians walked along the pavement. She followed Kíli to the next block over to a building with several different businesses on the ground floor. It looked like there were apartments above the shops. They walked passed a barber shop before Kíli pushed into a deli, the chiming of a bell announcing their entry into the establishment.

 

The wonderful smells inside the deli made Sigrid's mouth water. Kíli walked straight up to the counter and leaned against it casually. He grinned Sigrid and she gave him a small smile back. A gray-hair man appeared from a backroom, wiping his hands off on his apron.

 

"Kíli," he nodded in greeting, glancing curiously at Sigird. "What can I get for you today?"

 

"My usual Pastrami, Dori," Kíli said cheekily, hopping up to sit on the counter.

 

Dori scowled at him. "Get off my counter, boy," he almost growled before turning back to Sigrid with a sweet smile on his lips. "And for you, my dear?"

 

"Uh..." Sigrid glanced around for a menu board, but didn't see anything posted. "I guess, I'll have the same," she shrugged.

 

"Wonderful," Dori murmured as he began to move behind the counter, pulling out various food items.

 

Kíli grinned at her from his spot atop the counter. "It's great, you'll love it," he assured her.

 

She nodded, taking a moment to look around the store. Everything was nice and neat, not a speck of dust in sight. The deli and a small dining area occupied most of the space with a wall cooler displaying drinks against the far wall and a variety of convenience snacks surrounding it.

 

Dori presented their sandwiches in red plastic baskets with wax paper and Kíli quickly scooped them up as he hopped off the counter and inclined his head toward a small table by the window. Sigrid followed him and sat down, placing her bag between her feet on the ground.

 

"Drink?" Kíli asked. "Got a preference?"

 

"Water is fine," she replied.

 

He retrieved a water and a Coke from the cooler. The bell chimed as two men entered the store. Dori quickly motioned for them to follow him into the back.

 

Sigrid gave Kíli a questioning look as he sat back down, handing her the water. He shrugged. "Don't worry about it," he said, sipping his Coke. "Dori's got a side business he runs out of the back."

 

She froze, her drink suspended in midair. "Like... does your family... are you...?"

 

Kíli chuckled, guessing at the direction of her question. "We're not involved in a mob, if that's what you're wondering. Dori just has a very impressive wine collection and sells to interested buyers for an undisclosed amount of cash. Makes a fortune, though."

 

Sigrid nodded slowly, still casting worried glances toward the back room. She trying to calm herself, she followed Kíli's lead and began to eat the deli sandwich in front of her.

 

It was delicious and gone much too quickly. She wiped her fingers on a napkin and smiled across the table at the young man. "Thanks," she said. "Didn't realize I was that hungry."

 

Kíli grinned at her. "Told you it was good."

 

"How much do I owe you?" she asked, digging through her purse.

 

"Don't worry about it," he said, tipping his Coke back. She frowned disapprovingly at him. "Really, I nab food from Dori all the time." The grin he gave her was positively wicked with mischief. "He hates me for it, but he can't stay mad at me for too long," he said, winking at her. He sighed and rubbed his stomach, pushing back from the table and appraising her for a moment. "Want to head back?" he asked.

 

She nodded. "Sure."

 

They bundled up and headed back to the shop. As they were walking, Sigrid's phone rang. The hospital was looking for a nurse to cover a shift for someone that had called out sick. She agreed, knowing that her father could use the money.

 

When she rung up, Kíli glanced at her curiously. "Need a ride?"

 

She shook her head. "No, I can catch the bus. Thanks though. I should get off shift around eight o'clock tonight - will the shop still be open then?"

 

Kíli nodded with an easy smile. "I'm sure someone will be around."

 

+++++

 

Nancy ended up dropping Sigrid off at the auto body shop when their shift had ended. She was a single mother and understood having car problems from time to time.

 

Sigrid thanked Nancy again before climbing out of her Jeep and waving good night. The golden light from the shop window shone out onto the street like it had the night before.

 

Sigrid carefully made her way up the sidewalk and knocked on the door. She could hear voices inside and then the deadbolt turning before the blue metal door swung open. A young man whom she had not seen before stood before her. He was slender, although not very tall, and had large brown eyes behind thick black glasses.

 

"Hello," he greeted softly.

 

"Hi," Sigrid paused, slightly unsure. "Uh, I left my car here today and told Kíli-"

 

A familiar voice yelled out and Kíli jogged over to the door. He grinned at her. "Yes, Sigrid, my old friend! Please, do come inside," he said cheerily, pulling her through the door."Ori, this is Sigrid. Sigrid, Ori," Kíli introduced. The two shook hands shyly. "We were just sitting down to a game of cards - care to join us?" Kíli asked, pulling her toward the office.

 

"Oh, I don't know -" Sigrid began, "I was just stopping by to check on my car..."

 

Kíli pulled her into the office. Balin's desk had been cleared and was being used as a poker table. Several people were crammed into the small space, drinking and smoking cigarettes. As soon as she stepped foot into the room, Fíli stood up. If she didn't know any better, she might have thought he was blushing. He quickly put out his cigarette and edged his way around the table toward her.

 

"Hey," he said, grinning at her.

 

She smiled back. "Hey," she returned.

 

He glanced at his brother and then back at the make-shift poker table. "Want a beer?" he offered.

 

"I'm alright, thanks."

 

Kíli grinned mischievously at both of them before shoving passed his brother to take over his seat. Ori stepped around Sigrid, muttering apologies under his breath.

 

Fíli and Sigrid stood awkwardly in the doorway for a moment before he reached out and lightly touched her arm. "Why don't I show you what we did to your car."

 

She nodded and followed him out of the office. He led her to the third service bay where her car was sitting. He popped the hood and pointed out the new battery and intake manifold gasket. "I also topped off all of your fluids," he said before letting the hood dropped back into a locked position.

 

"Thank you so much," she breathed. She pulled out her wallet. "Mind if I use a credit card to pay?"

 

He shook his head. "Let me just get the Square from Ori..." He jogged back to the office, disappearing for a few moments. Sigrid lingered by her car, leaning against the door.

 

The backdoor of the shop opened and a woman in uniform stepped inside, brushing the snow off her shoulders. She removed her cap, revealing bright red hair which was pulled back into a tidy bun at the base of her neck. She nodded to Fíli as he exited the office and entered to a yelled greeting and loud laughter.

 

Sigrid couldn't help watching him as he approached her, fumbling to connect the small white credit card reader into his iPhone. He looked different now that he wasn't covered with grease and oil. His hair was clean and pulled back into a loose bun. His jaw was still covered in stubble, but Sigrid found that she liked the rough look. He was wearing dark jeans with a plaid button-up shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

 

He stopped in front of her, still concentrating on his phone. "Sorry," he muttered, "I don't usually handle these kinds of transactions."

 

She tried to hide her smile. "Need any help?" she offered.

 

"Nah, I think I got it now," he said. "Alright, so battery and intake manifold gasket will be $136.97 -"

 

"And the other stuff too," Sigrid insisted. When he started to protest, she held up a hand to stop him. "You've already done way too much. Kíli said all I needed to do was pay for the parts and that's what I intend on doing."

 

Fíli frowned at her before nodding reluctantly. "Okay, so new total will be $167.85." He turned his phone around and showed her the breakdown of the bill.

 

Sigrid nodded and handed over her credit card. He swiped it through the reader and waited for a few seconds before it processed. Once the transaction was approved, he handed over the phone so that she could sign her name with her finger on the touch screen.

 

"I'll text you the receipt," he said, tapping some buttons on his phone.

 

Sigrid's phone chirped. "Thanks," she said.

 

Fíli rubbed the back of his neck and glanced back at the office. The laughed and commotion going on inside the room hadn't stopped since the red head had disappeared inside. "Any chance you want to stick around and play some poker with us?" he asked, suddenly seeming nervous.

 

"I'm really not that big on cards - plus, I suck at lying so everyone can always tell when I'm bluffing."

 

Fíli chuckled at that. "Any chance you're hungry?"

 

Sigrid was glad her stomach didn't growl at the thought of food, although she was pretty hungry. She wanted to say yes… "I should really get back home - I have a morning shift tomorrow at the hospital... but maybe... maybe this weekend?"

 

A smile tugged at Fíli's lips. "Sure, this weekend sounds great. I'll give you a call."

 

"Ok," she said, feeling her cheeks start to burn.

 

He stood smiling down at her for a moment before a thought interrupted. "Oh, your keys," he muttered. He retrieved them from a lockbox and handed them to her. "I'll get the gates out back for you," he offered, "and I'll give you a call later this week."

 

She nodded and waved good bye before climbing into her car. It purred happily when she turned the key in the ignition and she didn't stop smiling the entire drive home.

**Author's Note:**

> I had SUCH a fun time writing this... plus, I absolutely LOVE writing Kili, which I really don't get to do in Surviving Heir to Erebor unless it's Fili talking to Kili in his head... I don't know if this is what you wanted, but I hope you liked it! I have a bit of a journey planned of these two and I can't wait to explore where it takes me. xoxo


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